FFEI celebrates diamond jubilee in Digital Imaging and Inkjet Innovation

FFEI Limited, the leading integrator and manufacturer of industrial digital inkjet systems and digital life science technology, recently acquired by Xaar, has celebrated its 75^th anniversary.

Three-quarters of a century at the very forefront of innovations in digital imaging and printbar solutions has seen FFEI establish many joint ventures with world leading organisations in both digital inkjet and life sciences.

A day of celebration was enjoyed by both existing and former team members at FFEI’s Hemel Hempstead headquarters, with fish and chips provided together with ‘Bake Off’ competitions, tombola, and prize draws. In all, more than £910 was raised from the day for Xaar’s Group Charity Partner, Break, who provide a brighter future to children and young people on the edge of care, in care, and leaving care. With Xaar’s fund-matching commitment, more than £1800 was donated to the charity.

FFEI’s Director of Operations, Ryan McCormick, was delighted to be able to celebrate such a landmark occasion: “It was so rewarding to see our staff both past and present, recognising the hugely important role that our company has played in the world of imaging and inkjet technology, and equally gratifying to know that our charity partner, Break will be benefitting, too.”

With roots back to 1947 as Crosfield Electronics, the brainchild of celebrated inventor and entrepreneur John Crosfield, over the years, the business has continued to modernise the printing industry with image scanners and press automation with new machines for banknote counting and sorting. Latterly, it has adopted the latest technologies to speed up image manipulation, page assembly and printing plate manufacture in the newspaper industry, facilitating electronic transmission.

During this time, a formidable reputation has been developed within both the digital life science and digital inkjet industries, resulting in the awarding of no fewer than seven of the prestigious Queen’s Awards for Innovation over the last 75 years.

FFEI’s technology can now be seen in a variety of today’s inkjet presses, and its patented Sierra colour calibration technology ensures colour fidelity for pathologists with its Whole Slide Imaging (WSI) process representative of the ‘true’ colour of a tissue sample.

FFEI became part of the Xaar Group of companies in late 2021, and further close collaborations have developed since that time, allowing Xaar to continue to explore additional opportunities in vertically integrated solutions especially for its growing number of OEM and UDI (User Developer Integrator) customers.

Xaar’s CEO, John Mills, also celebrated FFEI’s milestone and its significant role in the Group: “This anniversary is testament to FFEI’s unmatched expertise and innovative talents in its field. We congratulate them on reaching this milestone and look forward to many more years of effective and inspiring collaboration as we continue to unleash the power of inkjet and digital life science technologies.”